March 27, 2025 — On March 24, the North Carolina Marine Fisheries Commission implemented 18 new rules designed to enhance the management and conservation of the state’s marine and estuarine resources. These changes encompass improvements in data collection, harassment prevention, and the administration of shellfish leases.

Five of the newly adopted rules focus on bolstering data collection efforts and safeguarding Division of Marine fisheries employees from harassment during field activities, according to Island Free Press. Amendments expand protections against verbal, physical, or sexual harassment that staff may encounter while collecting vital data on marine and estuarine resources. Additional revisions to rules reinforce the obligation of fishermen to cooperate with data collection programs, emphasizing the critical role of accurate data in resource conservation.

Read the full article at the National Fisherman

March 17, 2025 — The North Carolina Marine Fisheries Commission faced strong pushback from commercial and recreational fishermen during its first quarterly meeting of 2025, held at the Hilton Garden Inn in Kitty Hawk on March 12 and 13.

It was the first time since 2018 that the commission convened on the Outer Banks, drawing more than 30 speakers who voiced concerns about regulations, stock assessments, and the future of commercial fishing in the state.

As Island Free Press reported, Joe Romano, a commercial fisherman from Wilmington, spoke at the meeting. “Over-regulation has been the default course, and commercial fishermen have borne the brunt of it. We called it death by a thousand cuts, one ruled after another, reducing access, increasing cost, driving more watermen out of business. For years, it was easy to marginalize commercial fishing because there were so few of us.”

At the heart of the debate were proposed management plans to impose new restrictions on commercial harvests of false albacore, spotted sea trout, and southern flounder. While recreational anglers will also see reductions, the most significant impacts will fall on the commercial sector. Many speakers questioned the science behind these restrictions, arguing that flawed or incomplete stock assessments were being used to justify sweeping regulatory changes.

Read the full article at the National Fisherman

March 17, 2025 — Facing skeptical and sometimes fiery comments from commercial and recreational fishing interests from Beaufort to the Outer Banks, the North Carolina Marine Fisheries Commission met at the Hilton Garden Inn in Kitty Hawk on March 12 and 13 for the first quarterly meeting of 2025. It was the first time since November of 2018 that the commission has met on the Outer Banks.

More than 30 speakers addressed the commission, consistently calling out what they criticized as questionable science and data and the effect it has had on the commercial fishing industry.

“Over-regulation has been the default course, and commercial fishermen have borne the front of it,” Joe Romano, a commercial fisherman from Wilmington told the commission. “We called it a death by a thousand cuts, one rule after another, reducing access, increasing cost, driving more water men out of business. For years, it was easy to marginalize commercial fishing because there were so few of us.”

Read the full article at The Outer Banks Voice

August 23, 2024 — A conflict between commercial and recreational fishermen in the U.S. state of North Carolina may be resolved at the North Carolina Marine Fisheries Commission meeting, which runs through Friday, 23 August.

Tensions between the two groups flared after NCMFC Chair Rob Bizzell insisted his panel will not open the state’s southern flounder fishery to recreational anglers this year. However, a July vote by the North Carolina Wildlife Resource Commission (WRC) approved a hook-and-line recreational season for 1, 2, 7, and 8 September, with a daily limit of one fish per angler and a minimum size of 15 inches within the waters that fall under the commission’s jurisdiction, which include waters that the MFC also oversees.

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

February 21, 2023 — The following was released by the North Carolina Marine Fisheries Commission:

The North Carolina Marine Fisheries Commission (MFC) is meeting this week to vote on a supplement to the current Striped Mullet Fisheries Management Plan (FMP) which would close mullet harvest during the middle of the roe season. 

At the November MFC meeting staff at the Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF) presented Supplement A to the Striped Mullet FMP. In Supplement A the DMF recommends a 20-33% reduction in mullet landings by closing the harvest season in late October or early November through December 31st for at least one year. The preferred option of a November 7th to December 31st closure was selected by the MFC at this meeting.

In December and January DMF held several public meetings giving people the opportunity to ask questions and give public comment on the end of season closure. Overwhelming public comment during these meetings suggests that mullet are not overfished and overfishing is not occurring. Definitely not to the extent that a 20-33% reduction in harvest is needed! 

 In fact, mullet abundance this past season seemed to be at a level not seen in decades! Many mullets left the sounds before the roe season and large numbers of mullets are still up the rivers right now. Furthermore, there is still plenty of time for the DMF to collect more data before this decision has to be made, if a closure is even necessary at all.

 It is not too late to comment and tell the MFC why reducing the Striped Mullet season is not necessary. 

 Come out and be seen and heard!

 Written comments are accepted until today (February 20th) at 4pm at this link:

https://deq.nc.gov/nc-marine-fisheries-commission-comment-form

 You can also comment in person at the Doubletree Hotel in New Bern, NC Wednesday night at 6:00pm or Thursday morning at 9:00am at the meeting this week. 

 (Important to note, no online comments will be accepted during the live meeting comment session.)

 The discussion and vote on the Striped Mullet Supplement will begin at approximately 2:30pm on Thursday (Feb. 23rd). Listen live on YouTube at this link once the meeting starts:

 https://youtube.com/live/QNrjWEW11z8?feature=share

 From my personal experience, the meeting streams much better on the YouTube app versus watching it from your web browser. You can download the YouTube app in the App Store or Google Play.

 As always, contact me with any questions or if you need help accessing any of the meeting materials.

 Thomas Newman 

Fisheries Liaison 

Thomasnewman@ncfish.org